Whitney Jones

Former Kentucky Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo says he's considering a run to become the Commonwealth’s governor. Mongiardo is a Democrat who served under Gov. Steve Beshear during his first term. The 52-year-old Hazard physician served in the state Senate from 2001 to 2007.

From NPR: While the news from Mexico often focuses on drug-related violence, there’s good news south of the border too. Their economy is growing thanks to exports to the U.S. In fact, your flat-screen TV was probably made there.

A school voucher task force has submitted its recommendations to Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. Haslam appointed the nine-member task force to study how to start a school voucher program a year ago. The group includes lawmakers and representatives from both private and public schools.

The sponsor of legislation to add five new casinos in Illinois says Gov. Pat Quinn has been unwilling to negotiate a compromise. But he remains hopeful one can be reached. Democrat Rep. Lou Lang says he questions whether Quinn wants a deal before the end of the legislative session. Quinn has not met with either of the bill’s sponsors.

Commercial trucks are not being allowed on a ferry that is the only route between Kentucky and Missouri. The detour is about 80 miles for trucks traveling between the two states. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says the Dorena-Hickman Ferry restriction is because of the low water level of the Mississippi River.

A lane restriction on a Ledbetter bridge undergoing repairs is being lifted for a day and a half starting Friday. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says the lane restriction on the U.S. 60 Tennessee River Bridge that connects McCracken County to Livingston County will be lifted beginning this afternoon and is expected to return early Sunday.

From NPR: You won’t see fins on the back of your car anytime soon. They disappeared for a reason: better aerodynamics equals better fuel efficiency.

A Madisonville woman died Wednesday night when a train hit her car in Earlington. 26-year-old Keisha Young was pronounced dead on the scene by Hopkins County Coroner Dennis Mayfield.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn wants the House of Representatives to spend money on children, not outdated prisons. Quinn continues to try to divert money from prisons to child-protection services after the Senate rejected the attempt made there. The state Senate voted 35 to 16 to reject Quinn’s $57 million cuts.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has a new computerized child abuse hotline after receiving complaints that the old system failed to handle the large number of calls. Last year the department had more than 250,000 calls, but a majority of callers had to wait for a child abuse expert to call back.